In which a 4x4 620 is built

[SandyMush620]

Today I spent what time I had cleaning up the bed rails and resanding the inner bedsides in prep for epoxy.

 

 

 

 

 

I applied two good coats of PPG epoxy primer/sealer, which is more watertight than urethane and will help control rust under the rails better.  It will also serve as a base for a quality spray-in bedliner down the road. 

 

 

 

I found this in the back of a truck in the lot...score!

 

 

Plus I ordered a set of white spoke wheels from Summit.  Less than $200 shipped.  I ordered two center caps for the rear, but it may look better without them.  I'll have to try it both ways.

 

 

I have been working on the tailgate here and there to get it ready for filler.  Tomorrow I will focus on it, and maybe start blocking a bedside too.

[SandyMush620]

I spent a couple hours working the tailgate with a hammer and dolly, using a straightedge to get the letters in line.  I don't want to have to build the letters with filler, so I focused on getting them straight first.  Fortunately, the surrounding areas fell into place for the most part.  I also pulled a couple of the larger dents.

 

 

I wiped a coat of filler, then remembered that I needed to work the back first, so I flipped it over and wore out a course wire wheel removing the loose rust.

 

 

I sprayed on several coats of epoxy with no reduction to help curb rust and serve as high-build primer. 

 

 

 

The entire inside will be covered by an inner panel that I will weld in, same as the bed, so the epoxy under the panel won't be sanded or topcoated.  The visible area will be scuffed and I will apply a few coats of 2k urethane primer so I can sand out the worst of the rust craters near the bottom.  Then I will reprime and it will be ready for wet-sanding and paint.

 

Epoxy dries slow, so I guidecoated the first bedside and started blocking with 180-grit on the 18" Durablock.

 

 

 

That's pretty much it for now.  The bed is blocking out pretty well, so hopefully progress will speed up a little.  It will be interesting to see if I can make a decent tailgate out of what I have.

 

[SandyMush620]

I forgot to add that I put a new battery in the truck and washed the cab.  It wasn't for looks; the best way to protect your paint, new or old, is to keep it clean and use a high quality wax.  Bird droppings will ruin new paint.

 

I also drained the water out of the cooling system and poured in some Prestone.  It has dipped a little below freezing a couple times recently.

 

 

The white spokes should be here Tuesday, and I will get the new tires mounted and installed soon.

 

Does anybody think a white Lil Hustler stripe at the bottom would be a good thing?

[Mikeystoy]

Yes; yes it would.

[Ooph!]

I'm thinking it's gonna look sharp either way, if it's vinyl you can always change your mind.

[Spoona_Jay21]

YES! put a nice chrome light bar in it after that, then you have some bad ass retro madness!

[heretic]

I've yet to see you make a "bad" decision thus far :)

 

 

Does anybody think a white Lil Hustler stripe at the bottom would be a good thing?

[SandyMush620]

Thanks for the replies.  Once the bed and wheels are in place, it will be easier to visualize the stripe.  Either way, I will let the paint cure for a while so if I put it on then want to remove it there will be less of a chance of damaging the clearcoat. 

[garryk6]

Hang in there! Almost got it back to the road before the shop is over!

 

Keep up the good work!

Garry

[SandyMush620]

Today I had the three low-mileage Goodyears I got from Dad plus a new one mounted to my new white spokes.  That is, after I checked fitment on the truck.

 

 

Here are a few shots installed. 

 

 

 

 

They are 235/75-15's on 15x7's with 3.75" backspacing.  The offset looks good, but I'm sure it will expose my new paint to a little more road debris.  Life is a compromise. 

 

I also worked a bit on the tailgate, but nothing worth snapping a pic of.  Tomorrow morning I will be on a road trip, but I hope to be working on it through the afternoon and all day Sunday.

[Janksun]

Make some removable mudflaps.

[SandyMush620]

Make some removable mudflaps.

 

I'd like to have some fender flares, but I'm having a hard time finding any.

[SandyMush620]

I only had a half day, but I poured a little more filler on the tailgate and finished blocking the first bedside.  I think I will focus on the bed to make sure it gets painted before the shop closes because I can take the tailgate to work and spray it if I need to.  Still going to try to knock them both out though. 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to try to work harder tomorrow than I usually do on Sunday.  Don't really want to be working on this thing on turkey day.  If I can get the other bedside blocked and both sides glazed and reprimed, I will be pretty happy. 

[SandyMush620]

Goal met.  Both bedsides are blocked, touched up and reprimed.  I got a head start this morning by forgetting to set my alarm clock back, and I worked until about 6:30 tonight, so I didn't have to kill myself.  They blocked out about as well as the cab.  I also stripped and primed the fuel door, which has a slight curve in it probably to blend with the bedside but otherwise appears to be straight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bed is pretty close to good, so I'm expecting to block this primer with 220, reprime after any touch-ups, and wet-sand for paint.  The tailgate is another story, but I'll be beating on it too.  43 days until the shop closes.

[K_trip]

- removed -

[SandyMush620]

Isn't the normal backspace for 15x7's more like 4" ... I know it's only a quarter inch, I'm just wondering a loud.

 

Not sure.  These were also available in 4.5", and that may have been a better choice.  But these do look good and are now non-returnable, so I'm looking at universal fender flares to see what's out there.  I like flares on a 4x4 anyway, but I don't want them looking cheap or compromising the 620 style lines.  Not real excited about sandblasting my new paint every time I drive it either though.

[K_trip]

- removed -

[Eagle_Adam]

bump?

[Boxcar]

Universal flair kit would be you're best bet. Truck looks good.

[SandyMush620]

Universal flair kit would be you're best bet. Truck looks good.

Thanks. And yeah, I'm looking at Pacer Flexy Flares. I don't really like trim-to-fit stuff, but the wheel opening shape should help keep the trimmed ends low and harder to see.

[SandyMush620]

Saturday I worked late and got the bed blocked with 220 and ready for primer again.  My plan was to go in today and prime it after I buried my water line that has been exposed for a few months while some grading was being done.  Long story short--I spent all day either on the trackhoe or in Lowes, I have more water line exposed than when I started, and the bed is still not primed.  I was going to prime it tomorrow but we have three days in the 20's coming up, so the water line is priority.  The joys of home-ownership.

 

Here are a few pics of the bed after being blocked and touched up with finishing glaze for the second time:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This black widow was hanging from my tailgate when I got to the shop.  Biggest mistake she ever made.  Black widows are tough, and she survived about thirty seconds submerged in virgin lacquer thinner.  I have no love for spiders.

 

 

 

On the subject of flares, I am checking out Steroid's fiberglass offerings as well.

[Boxcar]

We don't se many Black widows here in Astoria . I sure wouldn't want one in my cab. I to share you're aversion to spiders.

 I really am impressed with the work you are doing with the 620.

I build more toward the trail than the street , but I gotta tell ya. It's nice to se some one who is so concerned with getting the rig, just right.

Keep it up. I am thinking of fallowing you're lead on my next build. I need a new shop truck.

[SandyMush620]

We don't se many Black widows here in Astoria . I sure wouldn't want one in my cab. I to share you're aversion to spiders.

 I really am impressed with the work you are doing with the 620.

I build more toward the trail than the street , but I gotta tell ya. It's nice to se some one who is so concerned with getting the rig, just right.

Keep it up. I am thinking of fallowing you're lead on my next build. I need a new shop truck.

 

Thanks Boxcar.  Being so picky is a two-edged sword.  I can expect a good result, but t takes a long time and tends to lead to starvation if you are earning a living in a commission job like bodywork.  Having a hard time drawing the line and saying it's good enough is probably a matter of inexperience, plus the fear of discovering a flaw while spraying the clearcoat, for example, when correcting it suddenly becomes a major ordeal.  I really should have been done months ago, but you're right, I want this thing to be a knockout. 

 

You can bet I'm following your build, too, and I love trucks like yours and Redeye's. 

[jesusno2]

NICE JOB! i hate body work and its come time in our 521 build to start and its really bummin me out.

[SandyMush620]

NICE JOB! i hate body work and its come time in our 521 build to start and its really bummin me out.

 

Thanks.  I understand the dread even though I enjoy the work to an extent.  If I had to start over now I'd just shove it in the French Broad and get a decent 720.  Is the 521 as beat up as my 620 was? 

 

I'm on page 5 of your build.